This morning, I awoke a warrior.  The battled and bruised warrior within me suddenly stirred and breath was restored. 

This morning, I awoke a warrior.  The fighter I’ve had inside me for my whole life.  The one who has always refused to surrender, no matter what.  The one who pushed me forward in life, even when I could only crawl.

This morning, I awoke a warrior.  I will never let it slumber again.

Is the warrior in me overwhelming to others?

I sure hope so!  I want to overwhelm the enemy with the glory of God!

I shout for freedom!!!

I stand for Christ!!!

I rise to stand next to Jesus and fight!

Tell me I’m too much.  Ok.  Thank you.

You know what’s truly overwhelming?

The idea that we’ve been beat into submission and silence so much that we’ve lost our voices, collectively.

No more.

Even if I am a voice alone.  I will shout.

FREEDOM!!!  Freedom in Christ alone!

It is no longer I who live, but Christ in me.

I realized that I had lost my vigor to shout down the enemy.  To stand and boldly proclaim the truth over those I’m fighting for in the secret place. 

I don’t need a stage or microphone to fight.  No, my best fighting over the years has been in the secret place.  I’ve seen tides shift.  I’ve seen lives change.  I’ve seen miracles birthed.  I have never fought alone, even when I’m alone.  My voice is amplified in the annals of Heaven and I fully know that. 

God with me.

God alone brings victory.

So, today I stand with heaven behind me.  I see the countless elders and angels gathered behind me, just waiting to join in as I worship and intercede.  They wait at the ready. 

Sing your way to victory today!  I’ll see you there.

But all who are left shout and sing for joy.  Those in the west praise the Lord’s majesty.  In eastern lands, give glory to the Lord.  In the lands beyond the sea, praise the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.  We hear songs of praise from the ends of the earth, songs that give glory to the Righteous One!  Isaiah 24:14-16

My enemies come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets.  They scavenge for food but go to sleep unsatisfied.  But as for me, I will sing about Your power.  Each morning, I will sing with joy about Your unfailing love.  For You have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.  O my Strength, to You I sing praises, for You, O God, are my refuge, the God Who shows me unfailing love.  Psalm 59:14-17

The earth is crying out for justice. 

Countless instances of injustice have riddled and shaken the earth. 

False religions have forced so many into severe injustice.  The injustice of sex trafficking has taken not only the innocence, but also freedom from so many.  Corrupt justice systems attempt to prosecute and jail the innocent while giving the truly guilty a free pass.  Corrupt government has prosecuted and hindered people from living in the freedom God intended and intentionally worked to sabotage their own country in a low form of evil that is difficult to comprehend.  Our educational system has become completely unjust and lopsided toward lies, and the abandonment of teaching even basic truth.  Our medical system is completely unjust, with so many Drs operating from a god complex attempting to usurp the authority of parents and individuals and their own decisions.  The side of “my body, my choice” has unjustly stood with forcing others to vax.  Apparently, “my body, my choice” only applies when it’s used to murder the next generation.

It’s all insanity.

Where is justice?

We should be asking, “Where is Justice?”

God is Justice.

God won’t operate outside of justice that’s why our salvation is wholly dependent on the blood of Jesus.  It’s also why one day every one will be brought before the Judgment Seat. 

We will see Justice. 

Our main concern should be that we are on the right side of Justice.  Which means, washed in the blood of Jesus. 

We can spend our whole lives screaming at the injustice on the earth.  Or we can live in the freedom of knowing that Justice indeed came once and will come again, in Jesus.

Riding on His white horse.  Come to bring an end to the injustice we see.  Coming for His bride.

Prepare the way.

Prepare the way of the risen Lord!!!

As you live, do it in such a way that magnifies the glory of God.  Live a real life.  Not a lie.  Live in spirit and truth, just as you worship.  Don’t be afraid…and while you’re at it…the following scripture is a really good prayer to pray in the face of the many injustices we see now.

Today I ask you to join me in this prayer.

Justice- do you rulers know the meaning of the word?  Do you judge the people fairly?  No!  You plot injustice in your hearts.  You spread violence throughout the land.  These wicked people are born sinners; even from birth they have lied and gone their own way.  They spit venom like deadly snakes; they are like cobras that refuse to listen, ignoring the tunes of the snake charmers, no matter how skillfully they play.  Break off their fangs, O God!  Smash the jaws of these lions, O Lord!  May they disappear like water into thirsty ground.  Make their weapons useless in their hands.  May they be like snails that dissolve into slime, like a stillborn child who will never see the sun.  God will sweep them away, both young and old, faster than a pot heats over burning thorns.  The godly will rejoice when they see injustice avenged.  They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.  Then at last everyone will say, “There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God Who judges justly here on earth.”  Psalm 58:1-11

Self-reflection is important. Examining our own hearts is imperative.  I’ve heard some people say they don’t like to look within because it gets too deep, and they worry about getting lost there.  I say, if you never bother to wade into those waters then how can you be aware?  Don’t you trust the Lord to be with you as you become honest with yourself?

We need to be aware of ourselves.  Not obsessed.  But aware.

Awareness brings the opportunity for humility and growth…repentance and rest. 

In this same way, Scripture instructs us to examine ourselves to see if our faith is real.  To test ourselves.  Read this scripture…

Examine yourself to see if your faith is genuine.  Test yourselves.  Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.  2 Corinthians 13:5

Our faith is built on Jesus.  Not on our own strength or works.  We will always fall short.  There’s only Jesus. 

Jesus is the crux of it all.  It’s not like we receive salvation through Him and then are able to move ahead in life forever without Him.  No.  Salvation is step one. 

As we live and move and breathe in Jesus, we grow in joy.  As we learn to embrace the challenges of each day, we become mature and complete. 

God repeatedly gives us the keys to life in Scripture.  We only need to invite Holy Spirit to lead us through the Word. 

With Holy Spirit’s understanding we can face everything.  With Holy Spirit’s council we can embrace our struggles, knowing we are gaining strength and authenticity in our walk with Him.

It’s time to grow up, friends.  The world needs the body of Christ to stop being on the bottle and for us to grow into meat eating believers.  We’re not meant to be babies forever.  We aren’t meant to grow and mature.  That’s part of the sanctification process, but it only really works when we’re able to be honest with ourselves, about ourselves.  Stop blaming others for problems and delays you created on your own.  Stop blaming others for the fact that you haven’t matured and make an adult decision to become mature…facing all life sends your way…with Christ and allowing Him to use those events to develop your character and the character of your family.

I challenge you today, to grow up.  I’m pressing into it more and more every day.  Will you join me?

Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful.  Grow to maturity.  Encourage each other.  Live in harmony and peace.  Then the God of love and peace will be with you.  2 Corinthians 13:11

There is a lot burning within me.  Dreams burning inside my soul.  Things that I don’t only feel are only my calling, but I’m compelled to do. 

Purposes.  If you will.

How can we each live our lives and face the end with purposes unfulfilled?

I just don’t want to do that.

Do you?

Today I encourage you to lean into His voice and if you don’t already know, ask Him to reveal His purposes for you. 

I have been provoked.  As I lean into motherhood and fully surrender to it’s calling upon my life.  I feel instantaneously the other known purposes of my life pressing forth to bloom.  The discomfort and anticipation felt in their pressing, is intense.  Undeniable.  Like a baby pressing forth in the birth canal. 

It’s a birthing season for me and my family.  Maybe you are also in one.

Even if you aren’t, one day you will be so it’s important to consider this in advance. 

I have been provoked.  To take my purposes seriously.  To invest in them.  To give heartily to them.  Embrace them.  Lean into them.

Devoting time each day to two specific purposes, beyond motherhood, that God has placed on my heart long-term.  Writing and worship.

I simply have to do it.

You too have purposes.  You too can simply begin to do something everyday toward that purpose.  It’s such a small imposition upon life to give a moment, each day, to doing one or two practical things to advance that purpose. 

God’s purposes for you are worthy of your attention.

Small deposits over time will equal great dividends in the future. 

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth.  He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; He puts the deep into storehouses.  Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him.  For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.  The Lord foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples.  But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.  Psalm 33:6-11

We have heard it with our ears, O God; our ancestors have told us what You did in their days, in days long ago.  With Your hand You drove out the nations and planted our ancestors; You crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish.  It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You loved them.  You are my King and my God, Who decrees victories for Jacob.  Through You we push back our enemies; through Your name we trample our foes.  I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but You give us victory over our enemies, You put our adversaries to shame.  In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise Your name forever.  But now You have rejected and humbled us; You no longer go out with our armies.  You made us retreat before the enemy, and our adversaries have plundered us.  You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and have scattered us among the nations.  You sold Your people for a pittance, gaining nothing from their sale.  You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us.  You have made us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us.  I live in disgrace all day long, and my face is covered with shame at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me, because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.  All this came upon us, though we had not forgotten You; we had not been false to Your covenant.  Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from Your path.  But You crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals; You covered us over with deep darkness.  If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not God have discovered it, since He knows the secrets of the heart?  Yet for Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.  Awake, Lord!  Why do You sleep?  Rouse Yourself!  Do not reject us forever.  Why do You hide Your face and forget our misery and oppression?  We are brought down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground.  Rise up and help us; rescue us because of Your unfailing love.  Psalm 44

I was powerfully moved by this Psalm.

Often when I read through a Psalm, I’ll read a lot of the positive parts and glaze over the seemingly negative…but today I was struck to read and pay attention.  To think about what it is really saying.

In the latter parts of this Psalm, I believe, God was highlighting the believers. 

It’s a wrestling Psalm.

It’s saying, “God, we are doing all we can.  We’ve not fallen away from You.  We’ve not stopped serving You.  Yet, we are being defeated.  When will You rise up and save us?”

Friends, sometimes this is the way it is.

Do you not think those in the holocaust felt this way?  What about the persecuted church in China and many other countries who don’t have the luxury of free worship?

We are being ignorant if we think we will only have it easy.  Battles rage every day.  Battles are also won daily.  The success of our lives isn’t measured on how easy they are.  The successful are able to follow and praise Jesus no matter what.

Success is following Him no matter where He goes. 

Do you want to be successful?

I’ve been thinking about all the noise in our lives.  It’s really hard to find quiet.  Just the other day we worshiped together, as a family, and one of my precious children said that it was the first time they’d felt their mind be quiet in a while.

Worship caused the noises to cease.

Worship clears our heads.

Worship brings clarity and vision.

Worship is when we surrender to our original design.

Worship is when we do the most important thing we were created to do.

Worship is warfare…yes…but what does it fight?

Lots of things, but one that can’t be ignored or denied, is noise.

Surrender to the sound of worship, to quiet the noise.

I pray that today you would experience this kind of quiet.  The quiet that only the Spirit of God can bring. 

As His body we must move past the noise.  We must pursue the quiet.  We need to have our ears awakened to His voice by letting our ears become oblivious to the constant noise all around us. 

I have a dream.

I dream of living a life that is free from social media and constant cellphone distraction.  I dream of living in such a way that I don’t need those things.  There’s a sickness that’s invaded our lives.  It’s the sickness of addiction to access.  We’ve moved past the desire for simple information to a literal addiction to scrolling and seeing and knowing.  Even if what we “know” isn’t even of any consequence.  Even when “knowing” seems to make us more ignorant.  Stop needing to “know”.  It’s not important. 

The fires of discontent have been stoked through this tool.  This device. 

There’s no question that it’s called a device for a reason.  The thing that was supposed to connect us all has been found to be a counterfeit.  It instead is a weapon of divisiveness.

We can fight back when we stop being afraid to cut the cord and live a real life.

Quiet the noise and find peace.  Quiet the distraction and live a real life.  Touch the ground.  Get in the sun.  Close your eyes and listen to the birds.  Lean into what is real. 

Allow all the noise of the world to fall on deaf ears.  This is the revolution.

The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.  But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.  My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.  Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.  Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.  Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.  Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.  Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.  Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.  Proverbs 4:18-27

There are moments in life when the enemy tries to cloud our view with all the moments in our lives of which we should be ashamed.  Whether these things happened today or 20 years ago, he doesn’t care.  He’ll use anything to shame us into surrendering our real identity. 

Christ.

When we were each saved, we each found a new identity in Christ.

Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.  John 1:12-13

I am a child of God.  If you are saved, then so are you.  This ends it all.  Our identity is forever and eternally linked to the family of God.  He is our Father.  Jesus is our Brother.  Holy Spirit is our constant guide and companion.  It doesn’t get any better than this. 

When we not only know, but fully understand that we are true children of God, then that alone should wipe away any semblance of shame.  But for most of us, it’s a longer struggle than that. 

Why?

Because shame paralyzes.  Shame causes us to stop believing in our authority.  Shame renders us in a constant state of defense instead of taking authority and being on offense.  Pushing forward.  Moving the line in God’s direction.

We have got to break the shackles of shame.  But how?

Being steeped in the word and training our minds to take every thought captive.  This is our responsibility.  We must decide to actively do this. 

Have a shameful thought?  Take hold of that thought and say to God… “God, if this thought is from the enemy, take it away.  If it’s from You then show me what I need to know about it.” 

This is a sure-fire way to deal with it yourself and grow in your ability to stand on what is true.

Today I encourage you to do just that.  Take every thought captive.  The good, the bad, the seemingly indifferent.  Present them to God and ask Him what He says about it.  This exercise will change your life.

I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.  My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.  Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together.  I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.  Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.  Psalm 34:1-5

Who is lifted up and who is lowly?

Who is known and who is unknown?

Who will tip the scales of earthly balance and transfer the wealth of the wicked to the righteous?

Who will remove all wickedness from our government and restore common sense and morality?

Who will restore justice to our justice system?

God.

What is our part?

To respond to Him.  To believe Him.  To live like Him.  To pray real prayers of faith and victory and stop praying from defeat.

Praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord, you His servants; praise the name of the Lord.  Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore.  From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.  The Lord is exalted over all the nations, His glory above the heavens.  Who is like the Lord our God, the One Who sits enthroned on high, Who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?  He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; He seats them with princes, with the princes of His people.  He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children.  Praise the Lord.  Psalm 113

Today I encourage you to sit in awe.

Be awed by Him again…or maybe for the first time. 

May we never lose our wonder.  Look upon Him in wonder.

Be enamored with Him.

Sit and close your eyes and gaze upon His glorious face.  He is worthy.

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: “I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted.  Both horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.  The Lord is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation.  He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.  The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is His name.  Pharoah’s chariots and his army He has hurled into the sea.  The best of Pharoah’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea.  The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone.  Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power.  Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy.  In the greatness of Your majesty You threw down those who opposed You.  You unleashed Your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble.  By the blast of Your nostrils the waters piled up.  The surging waters stood up like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.  The enemy boasted, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake them.  I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them.  I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them.’  But You blew with Your breath, and the sea covered them.  They sank like lead in the mighty waters.  Who among the gods is like You, Lord?  Who is like You- majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?  You stretch out Your hand, and the earth swallows Your enemies.  In Your unfailing love You will lead the people You have redeemed.  In Your strength You will guide them to Your holy dwelling.  The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the people of Philistia, The chiefs of Edom will be terrified, the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling, the people of Canaan will melt away; terror and dread will fall on them.  By the power of Your arm they will be as still as a stone- until Your people pass by, Lord, until the people You bought pass by.  You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of Your inheritance- the place, Lord, You made for Your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, Your hands established.  The Lord reigns forever and ever.  Exodus 15:1-18

I woke in the wee hours before dawn.  The 3:30 hour that seems to carry with it the wings of heaven fluttering over me.  I am stirred before my eyes open.  Stirred by Your vision and voice.  You woke me.  Ready to speak and be heard.

“Here I am, Lord.  Speak freely to me.”

I see the soil and it is being turned to loosen all remaining roots and weeds and to reveal the freshness below.  The soil is being turned in this season.  Then I heard.

I am turning the soil in America.  I am turning it to remind you that I Am still the soil this country was built upon.  Many years and many decisions have happened, yet when the soil is turned you see Me again.  Remember.  As the weak roots are revealed and removed.  As the weeds are pulled out, see how weak they are.  Nothing lasts forever, but Me.  Don’t believe the death edict over this country.  Believe in Me.  My purposes stand firm forever.  Throughout many generations.  I Am.  In this turning, turn toward Me and learn to truly live.  Learn what true freedom really looks like.  Become disentangled from the global demonic system and learn to live in Me.  Through Me.  For Me.  The land is good.  Return to the land and live.  Free.  Remember freedom for the first time.  Years of unknown captivity have cloaked many generations, but I Am establishing freedom again.  It’s in your veins.  It’s part of your DNA.  It’s who you are when you live in Me.  Open your eyes.  Remember the Way.  Break off the stronghold of the enemy of convenience that led to slavery.  Remain in Me and I in you.  Remember the ancient way.  Come and remember.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God- this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- His good, pleasing, and perfect will.  Romans 12:1-2

The heartbeat of our land calls out to us.  REMEMBER!  After years of unknown captivity, come awake!!  Remember. 

Friends, I can’t fully explain it, but I see it in the spirit and feel it in my soul…the great revealing time, isn’t just revealing the sins of men, it’s also been showing us that we’ve been in unknown captivity our entire lives. 

A few years ago, God spoke to me that He was bringing me out of Egypt.  He said that I didn’t even know I was raised in Egypt and that was because my parents, their parents, and their parents all had been unknowingly raised in Egypt too.  Blissfully unaware, we all went along with the way of the world.  No longer.  It’s time to move from our captivity.  It’s time to reacquaint ourselves with how to live on and from the land.  A return to the soil. 

Most people need this same revelation.  Few have been living untethered from captivity. 

Can you see it now?  Can you feel your bones stirring?  Come awake!! Come awake and learn to truly live free.

There are many times in life when we must reconfigure. 

We don’t benefit from doing things one way without deviation for a lifetime.  Even our walk with Jesus should grow and transform over time and maturity.  Nothing in our lives should remain stagnant.

When we begin to do things simply for the sake of doing them…because it’s what we’ve always done and how we’ve always done it…we then cut Holy Spirit off from that part of our lives.

Holy Spirit is alive.  Always moving and in the business of transformation…

Transformation…

If we are “being transformed into His likeness” …then that alone indicates that movement is necessary for growth.

I wonder a lot.  I wonder why we do the things we do.  I wonder what things are important, and what things aren’t.  I wonder what real faith looks like.  I wonder what a real Christian looks like.  I wonder what it looks like to worship in spirit and truth.

Do you ever wonder?

Do you ever allow God to reconfigure things in your life?

As a small and simple example, I’ll say this…

For many years the kids and I have read morning devotionals over breakfast…or when they went to private school we’d read it while we drove to school…and we pray.  We pray every day together.  These are two really good things to do, right?  We’ve all grown so much because of this habit.

Fast forward to now.  Two of my kids have jobs and they work in the mornings.  We don’t have the luxury of doing morning devotionals and prayer anymore.  So, for a while we stopped.  Then I realized we must find another way, but how?

I toiled for weeks and wondered what the new way should be.  Nothing felt right until…suddenly Holy Spirit encouraged me to end our days with Him instead.  That way we could still meet as a whole family every day…be in the Word together and pray.  Now we read a Proverb at dinner and discuss it, then pray.

We not only need a change from our time schedule, but it was also a time to change what we read together.  We’ve grown and it was time to grow in this, as well. 

We’ve allowed God to reconfigure our daily time with Him, as a family.

You see, what happens when we don’t allow God to reconfigure things is when we find ourselves unable to operate in the old way, we simply quit.  Stop doing what we know matters. 

We must remain creative and allow Holy Spirit to create within us.  That’s what growth looks like.

When is the last time you reconfigured?

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, Who is the Spirit.  2 Corinthians 3:17-18